Five years ago, we had no office, no customers, no finished product. Just a crazy idea, two little girls, and a campervan.
That was the beginning of Levante.
It all started with the idea of creating an Origami solar panel.
We built our first plywood prototype, we packed it into a suitcase and flew to Iceland, where we met Dan and Kika from Sailing Uma. We shared our crazy idea, and they believed in us. They became part of our entrepreneurial journey. That meeting changed Levante forever.
We built our first plywood prototype in our garage in Italy and loaded it into our campervan with two kids. That's when Levante On Tour began. We travelled around Europe to meet sailors, travellers, suppliers, factories and investors, listening, learning and validating our ideas.
From that moment on, we built prototypes in garages, workshops, campsites and every possible place we could. We pitched to investors carrying a solar panel, a stroller and two little girls. We built Levante from anywhere, always with a kid on our lap.
The journey wasn't always easy.
There were ups and downs, pivots, mistakes, difficult decisions and moments where we had to completely rethink our direction. Some days we felt like heroes. Other days we felt like zeros and wondered if we would ever make it.
But every challenge became an opportunity to learn, improve and keep moving forward.
Along the way, Levante evolved from an ambitious Origami concept into innovative carbon fibre solar panels and a design studio that designs and installs bespoke solar solutions, from concept to installation.
We launched our first products through a Kickstarter campaign while sailing more than 2,000 nautical miles from Portugal to Italy and expecting our third daughter.
Together with our backers and customers from all over the world, we reshaped Levante into the company it is today. People who trusted us long before the final product existed and told us, "You seem like nice people. You'll make it."
For the first years of Levante, we were always on the move. Home wasn't a place, it was wherever we were. Our campervan, and sometimes even a sailboat, became our office, workshop and meeting room.
Then the time came to find a base.
We found our place in Puglia, in the heart of the Mediterranean, surrounded by the sea, olive trees, trulli and nature. Here we built our new design studio, and here we made a home for both our family and Levante.
From two founders to a family of five.
But the biggest challenge wasn't just building a company.
It was building a company together as a couple. Finding the balance between entrepreneurship, marriage and parenthood. Growing Levante while growing our family.
We wanted to create a business that serves our life, not the other way around. A business that allows us to enjoy the precious moments with our daughters instead of getting trapped in the startup rat race. One that grows in a healthy way, for our family and for the planet.
Looking back, we're incredibly grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey.
Thank you to ACS for believing in our vision and helping us bring Integrated Solar Technology to life. Thank you to Solbian, EasySea, all our partners and collaborators, and above all, every customer who believed in us before the final product even existed.
A special thanks goes to Dan and Kika from Sailing Uma, who believed in us from the very first plywood prototype. Together we've been innovating, sailing, learning and enjoying the journey, and we're excited to see where the next adventure will take us.
One thing we never forgot was to enjoy the journey and see every step as a learning experience.
As we always say, "When you can't change the direction of your dreams, adjust your sails."
Five years in. Thank you for believing in us, sailing with us, and being part of our story.
Here's to the next chapter.